Displaceable rudder for aircraft



April 1937. J. TEISSEYRE ET AL 2,076,283

DISPLACEABLE RUDDER FOR AIRCRAFT Filed April 5, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 1' Fig. 1. Fig

April 6, 1937- J; TEISSEYRE ET AL 2,076,283

DISPLACEABLE RUDDER FOR AIRCRAFT Filed April 5, 1935 -3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6. s-

Fig.1]. 2. 4

ATTORNEY April 1937 J. -TE|S$EYRE ET AL 2,076,283

DISPLAGEABLE RUDDER FOR AIRCRAFT Filed April 3, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,076,283 DISPLACEABLE nunnnn Fon AIRCRAFT Jerzy Teisseyre, Warsaw, and August Zdaniewski, Biala Podlaska, Poland Application Aprils, 1935, Serial No. 14,546 In Germany April 3, 1934 8 Claims. (01. 244-87) The present invention relates to vertically displaceable rudders for aircraft.

Rudders for aircraft which are inter alia vertically displaceable by the turning of an axis 5 located outside of the rudder are already known. These known arrangements which served for particular purposes have, in view of their complicated structure, only been employed in exceptional cases. In ordinary aircraft the rudder is 10 always arranged above the body. This arrangement is unfavourable, particularly in the, case of military aircraft, inasmuch as the rudder which projects beyond the body hinders the utilization of the shooting range when firing from a 15 rearwardly directed machine gun.

The present invention aims not only at leaving the rear shooting range entirely free in military aircraft, but also at increasing the reliability of operation of the rudder during a possible spinning 20 or nose-dive of the aircraft.

The novel feature of the invention resides in the fact that the axle or pivot upon which the movable part of the rudder turns is displaceable vertically parallel to the said axle or pivot being 25 located between the said part itself or in the direction of its own axis and the fixed plane. Hereby the result is obtained that when the aircraft is at rest the rudder-as is the case in the usual known aircraft-remains in the raised position,

3 whilst on the other hand during the flight, if it is desired to fire towards the rear, the rudder can be downwardly displaced so that it does not project beyond the body at all. The operative rudder surface is then located below the body. More- 35 over. according to the invention the fixed plane can be turned through a certain angle with regard to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and further the rim which is pivotally connected to the rudder may be turned into certain angular 40 positions in the one or the other direction when the current of air arising from the propeller is directed above the rudder differently from below.

The displacement of the steering surface may be efiected according to the invention by any 45 suitable means, for example by means of a straight link, a straight control member or paral- .lel control members or guides.

Some preferred constructional forms of rudders according to the invention are illustrated by way 50 of example in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the stern of the aircraft with the rudder in the raised position, and Fig. 3 a similar view with the rudder in the lowered 55 position,

Figs. 2 and 4 are vertical cross sections corresponding to Figs. 1 and 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan corresponding to Fig. l with the rudder shown in section,

Fig. 6 is a side view of the stern of an aircraft with the rudder in the raised position illustrating. a modified constructional form.

Figs. 7 and 8 are plans corresponding to Fig. 6, showing cross sections of the fixed plane and the rudder in the normal position and in a deflected position,

Fig. 9 is a side view of the stern of the aircraft with the rudder in the lowered position,

Figs. 10 and 11 are plans corresponding to Fig. 9

showing the fixed plane and the rudder in the normal position and in a deflected position, in

section.

Fig. 12 is a side view and Fig. 13 is a plan of an arrangement for moving the fixed plane and the rudder by means of parallel guides.

Referring to the drawings:

In the rear part I (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) of the body a vertical slot 2 is provided in which the fixed stabilizing plane 3 pivotally connected with the rudder 4 is mounted so as to be displaceable or slidable. The whole of the rudder proper 4 is located outside of the body of the aircraft, so that the whole of the steering surface of the rudder is operative in every vertical position of the rudder. Below the end of the body of the aircraft a tail-skid 5 is arranged. The displacement of the parts 3 and 4 can be effected by means known per se.

In the construction according to Figs. 6 to 11 the fixed plane 3' together with the rudder 4' is likewise arranged in the stern l of the aircraft, so as to be upwardly and downwardly displaceable in such manner that the rudder 4' is capable of turning around the axle 2' of the pivot between the fixed plane and the rudder. During the upward and downward movement from the upper position (Fig. 6) to the lower position (Fig. 9), the axle 2' always moves parallel to itself or in the direction of its own axis.

It is, however, possible to move the fixed plane 3' around the axle 2 through an angle a in the upper position and through an angle 5 in the lower position (Fig. '7 and Fig. 10 respectively). The rudder 4' is pivotally connected to an end member 4", which can, if desired, be likewise turned towards the right or towards the left, for example for the purpose of stabilizing the direction of the aircraft in the case when the current of air produced by the propeller is in a somewhat different direction above the body from below. Below the body I the tail-skid 5' is ranged.

The upward and downward movement of the rudder takes place either on a straight line or on 5 a curve.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the rudder is moved by means of parallel guides over an arc of a circle.

The triangular guide'or control members 6, 1

and 36 which are parallel to one another and of the same operative length, are pivotally con-.- nected at the one end at 8, 9 and 31 to the stern of the aircraft, and at the other end at 33, 34 and 35 to the fixed plane 3". The points 8 and 9 as also the points 33 and 34 are located on vertical lines and the triangle formed by the points 33, 34 and 35 is similar to the triangle formed bythe points 8, 9 and 31.

When a downward movement of the guide 0 members 6, 1 and 36 into the position 6, 7' and 36' dica in d tt d ines ta es, ce h ix plane is displaced in a parallel position vertically do n ds. h oints 3.4 meanwhi movin on the are and the poin 3 on the are 38- Fo 2 effectin t e. turni g moveme o the ui memb r i 1 and 1 a swingin mov m nt is i p e to one of them f r example o 3 Th s iiec ed b means of o screwe s indle 3 rot obl mount d at hich s indl is d i en by mea s o a a r oi be el heels 45 r m the driving shaft '46 pivotally connected thereto lgn t e ui e member '6 o ransverse att n 11 arranged, which, s ioi ed wi h a no 4.! and. which is a opted to urn bout e. ax s 43.

wh n the screwed spindle39 is turned, the nut ll engaging therewith moves on the are 44 having its centre at 31, whilst the end points 35, 33, il move at the same time on the arcs 39 and 10 respectively. In consequence of this the fixed plane 3" together with therudder takes up the lower position indicated in dqtted lines.

For the purpose fswingi'n'g the rudder laterally in every vertical pqsition a red 3? serves, one end of which is pivotallyconnected by means of 45 cross or ball linkage to a projection of the rudder, and the other end'of which is similarly connected by means of cross or ball linkage to the steering push rod of the aircraft. The direction of the push rod 32 is parallel to that of the guide meme bers 6 and 1 and its length agrees with that of the latter. In egnsequence of this the push rod 32 describes during each vertical displacement of the fixed plane 3", the same are as the linkage members 6 and 7, and the rudder can therefore be swung by means of the rod 3? in any vertical allposition which it occupies. A

The arrangementfor swinging the fixed plane 3" and the end member of the rudderfaccording to Figsi '7', 8, 10 and ll has not been particularly shown on the drawings. The means employed for this purpose are known from similar arrangernents customarily employed for fixed planes and rudders. v w 7 I "Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in wh t hhei he ome is t be rfo e we deo di t ot h tw olai hi A e t cal di p aceo l si udder ior di cr compri n in. c mbina io a r lat v x d bl ii m ar a mov b p o hi bait; a vo membe ivotally conn ct g said fix d and movable P r s. with ne ano her and locat ween the two. sa d pa s, sa d e at ve y x d ar in disblac ab e v icall in he iecti of. so n axis from o P-Qsi extending above the body of said aircraft to a position extending below the same, whereby said movable part is brought into alternative operative positions as an air rudder member.

2. A vertically displaceable air rudder for aircraft, comprising in combination: a relatively fixed planiform part; a movable planiform part; a pivot member pivotally connecting said fixed and movable parts with one another and located between the two said parts; and a vertically slotted part on the body of the aircraft, in which last named part said relatively fixed part is displaceable vertically in the direction of its own axis from a position extending above the body of said aircraft to a position extending below the same, whereby said movable part is brought into alternative operative positions as an air rudder member.

3. A vertically displaceable air rudder for aircraft, comprising in combination: a relatively fixed oloh iorhi port mo abl n on i p t; a pivot member pivotallyv connecting said fixed and movab o ts. with ano er d o t between the two. said parts, said relatively fixed ert be ng disoldceeble r ical i the direction o s wn. xis rom a os t on e t n in ab v the bodyof said aircraft to a position extending be w he; some wh reb sai m able port is brQught into alternative operative positions as n ir ru de m mb an a i l; guide. m mber for displa in sa d fix d a er di o the y i th airc afttA y tically di loc ebl ir ud er for c o ompr in in comb ation: a e ti ely fixed planiform part; a movable planiforrn part; a ivot member p t l connectin ai lixed and m ab e carts with n ano h r n cate be ween. th wo said baits a d, relatively fi pa t be disb a eabl e ica i h di ction of its own axis from a, position extending above h ody d air ra t o a p siti n extending below the same, whereby said movable part is bro h int lterna i o erative pos t ons s udder member; a p r e lin uid for is la in sa d fix d ar re e to t e d i th ai c af and a r di a oc ted orc ia e memb r p n whi a d fixed pa t is displa ed b said ar l l g ide 5e A v ticall di la e l air rudder, a sp ilied in c a m 1 her i s i fixe p t of the rudder s nked o th bod f the a rc by means, f a trian r li k e comprising a l l and equall on k m e he n connecting the points of application of two link members being a ver cal line- 6- A v ical di l la e le a r r d e a s ec tied n claim h e n sai fixed port of e ru der s in ed o h ody o he ai r by means ic. t ang la nk mpris n pa al el and, e ua y n l nk memb s th in conn i th o n s i a p ca io o t i k. mem bein a ert cal line; h n of s l n me be n adopted by he. aid f no n m an which nastie exam le mp s a screw and a pivotally connected to said last named link men ber, to swing about t point of application on the body of the airerait. M

A r ica ly isbla ea le a rudder, s p c fied in claim 4 wherein said fixed part of the rudder is linked to the body of the aircraft by means of a triangular linkage comprising parallel and equally longv link members, the line connecting the points of. application of two link members being a vertical line; the one of said link members being adapted by the aid of known means, which may, for example, comprise a screw anda nut pivotally connected to said last named link mem-- her, to swing about its point of application on the body of the aircraft; and a push rod adapted to swing the rudder laterally, said push rod agreeing in length and direction with the length and direction of said parallel link guide and being pivoted at both ends so as to be universally rotatable.

8. A vertically displaceable air rudder, as specified in claim 4, wherein said fixed part of the rudder is linked to the body of the aircraft by means of a triangular linkage comprising parallel and equally long link members, the line connecting 15 the points of application of two link members being a vertical line; the one of said link members being adapted by the aid of known means,

which may, for example, comprise a screw and a nut pivotally connected to said last named link member, to swing about its point of application on the body of the aircraft; a push rod adapted to swing the rudder laterally, said push rod agreeing in length and direction with the length and direction of said parallel link guide and being pivoted at both ends so as to be universally rotatable; and an end member on the rudder; said fixed part of the rudder being adapted to be swung through a definite angle to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and said end member being adapted to be swung through a definite angle with regard to the plane of the rudder.

JERZY TEISSEYRE. AUGUST ZDANIEWSKI. 

